Those Voices In Your Head

(Written by ChutingStar's Henry Kochen.)

For decades, audible altimeters have communicated with skydivers using a remarkably sophisticated language:

BEEP.
BEEP BEEP.
BEEEEEEEEEP.

And somehow, we've all learned to understand it. Three short beeps? Probably breakoff. One long beep? Hopefully you know what that one means. A weird sound you've never heard before? Well, that's a problem for Future You.

But audible altitude awareness is changing. The latest generation of skydiving electronics is moving beyond simple tones and alarms and into something much more intuitive: spoken altitude information. Yes, the Voice Audible Altimeter Madness has officially begun. Skydivers can now have an actual voice inside their helmet announcing altitude, providing jump-specific information, and in some cases communicating information from other devices in an integrated ecosystem.

Currently, three products at ChutingStar are helping push this category forward:

• Freefall Data Systems MetaAlti
• AON2 Aria
• Deep & Steep Soundlink

Each approaches spoken altitude awareness a little differently, and that's what makes this emerging category particularly interesting. So, let's talk about the voices in your head.

First, Why Voice? Traditional audible altimeters work extremely well. They've been trusted by skydivers for decades, and a properly configured audible remains an excellent secondary source of altitude awareness. But tones have limitations. A tone requires interpretation. You hear an alarm, recognize its sound pattern, remember what altitude you assigned to that alarm, and then process that information.

A spoken announcement removes one step from that process. Instead of hearing: BEEP BEEP BEEP …and mentally translating it into: "That's probably my 5,500-foot breakoff alarm..." You simply hear: "Five thousand five hundred feet." The information is delivered directly. This isn't necessarily about replacing traditional audibles. It's about offering another way for a skydiver to receive and process altitude information.

Depending on the type of jump, the skydiver's experience level, workload, and personal preferences, that can be a significant development. Of course, before we get too excited, let's make one thing perfectly clear: A talking audible altimeter does not replace a visual altimeter or proper altitude awareness skills. More on that later… First, let's meet the voices.

Freefall Data Systems MetaAlti: The Multisensory Approach

Freefall Data Systems has been involved with speaking audible technology longer than most people realize. The company has produced several generations of speaking audibles, including the SonoAlti V series, before introducing newer products such as VoxAlti and the MetaAlti.

The MetaAlti, however, takes the concept beyond simply putting a voice inside an audible. FDS describes it as a speaking audio-visual altimeter that combines spoken announcements, traditional audible alarms, and visual LED alerts into one device. That combination is what makes the MetaAlti particularly interesting. Depending on configuration, the skydiver can receive altitude information through multiple sensory channels:

• Spoken altitude announcements
• Spoken jump-specific notifications
• Traditional beeps and sirens
• Custom sounds
• LED visual alerts
• Dynamic light and sound patterns based on altitude

The MetaAlti also allows significant customization. Users can configure multiple presets, adjust volume for different phases of the skydive, select from factory sounds, and even add their own MP3 audio files. So you can customize what your altimeter says to you. Let that sink in. We have officially reached the point where skydivers can spend an entire evening debating canopy alarms and audio files instead of packing.

The MetaAlti's approach is particularly compelling because it recognizes that altitude awareness isn't necessarily a single-source problem. Different types of information can be communicated through different senses. You might hear an altitude announcement. You might simultaneously receive a visual cue. And at a critical altitude, you might prefer a traditional alarm tone designed specifically to get your attention. It's a very customizable approach to altitude awareness rather than simply replacing beeps with words.

You can order the MetaAlti from ChutingStar at this link.

AON2 Aria: Keeping Voice Altitude Awareness Simple

AON2 is preparing to enter the speaking audible market with the Aria. The concept behind the Aria appears deliberately straightforward. AON2 describes it as a speaking audible designed to provide the essential functions needed to support a skydive without necessarily turning the audible into a miniature mission-control computer.

The Aria includes spoken altitude awareness, a companion phone app compatible with iOS and Android, and jump logging functionality. According to AON2's current product information, it uses one voice in one language: British English. Which means that, for some of us, altitude awareness may soon sound considerably more sophisticated. "Five thousand feet, mate." Okay, maybe not exactly like that. But the philosophy behind the Aria is worth paying attention to. Not every skydiver wants unlimited customization, dozens of settings, GPS integration, or an entire ecosystem of connected devices. Some skydivers simply want clear information delivered in a straightforward way. That is where spoken altitude announcements can make a lot of sense. Instead of learning a library of tones, the audible simply tells you the information. Simple. Direct. Easy to understand.

The Aria will be available to order from ChutingStar on Sept. 14.

Deep & Steep Soundlink: The Connected Audible

The Soundlink from Deep & Steep takes another approach entirely. Yes, it can operate as a conventional audible altimeter. Yes, it can use tones. And yes, it can announce spoken altitude information. But where the Soundlink becomes particularly interesting is its ability to integrate into the larger Deep & Steep ecosystem.

The Soundlink can be configured using the Deep & Steep app or connected with devices such as the Insight and Stratos GPS altimeters. The audible can provide traditional freefall and canopy alarms, as well as voice altitude announcements. But when connected with compatible Deep & Steep GPS devices, things start getting considerably more interesting.

The Soundlink can receive information from the connected ecosystem and provide audio feedback beyond simple pressure altitude. For example, Deep & Steep offers features that can provide information related to the glide required to reach the landing area. Read that again. Your audible can potentially become part of a system that doesn't just tell you how high you are, it can help communicate information about where you're going. That's a significant shift in how we think about audible altimeters. For decades, an audible has primarily been a one-way warning device: You're at this altitude. The next generation of devices is beginning to explore something more dynamic: Here's your altitude. Here's additional flight information. Here's information relevant to what you're doing right now. The Soundlink represents a move toward integrated skydiving electronics rather than individual standalone instruments.

You can order the Soundlink from ChutingStar at this link.

Three Different Philosophies

What's particularly interesting about these three products is that they aren't simply copies of each other. They represent three different approaches to the same question: How can we improve altitude awareness?

The MetaAlti takes a highly customizable, multisensory approach. Speech, sound, light, presets, and personalized notifications can all work together. The AON2 Aria appears focused on simplicity—delivering spoken information through a straightforward, approachable audible with app connectivity. The Deep & Steep Soundlink focuses heavily on connectivity and ecosystem integration, potentially expanding the role of an audible beyond simply reporting altitude. And that's probably a good thing.

Different skydivers have different needs. A wingsuit pilot may prioritize different information than a 4-way competitor. A camera flyer may have different workload considerations than a tandem instructor. A canopy pilot may find GPS-based feedback useful in situations where a belly flyer couldn't care less. There probably isn't going to be one "best" speaking audible for everyone. And honestly, that's exactly how it should be.

Is Voice Actually Better Than Beeps?

That's the million-dollar question. And the answer is: It depends. A spoken altitude announcement provides extremely clear information. There is very little interpretation required when a voice says: "Four thousand feet." But traditional alarms have advantages too. A properly designed tone can be recognized almost instantaneously without requiring the brain to process language. This is especially important when considering workload. At certain moments during a skydive, the goal isn't necessarily to provide detailed information. Sometimes you simply need something to get your attention. NOW.

That is why the ability to combine spoken information with traditional alarms may ultimately be one of the most interesting aspects of this new generation of devices. Maybe spoken altitude announcements provide general awareness. Maybe a specific tone identifies breakoff. Maybe a more aggressive alarm identifies a critical decision altitude. The technology allows the skydiver to decide how information should be delivered. And that customization may ultimately be more valuable than the voice itself.

The Danger of Too Much Information

Of course, there is another side to all of this. Just because technology can provide information doesn't necessarily mean you need to hear all of it. Skydiving is already an information-rich environment. Visual input. Other skydivers. Formation references. Deployment sequence. Canopy traffic. Landing area awareness. Wind conditions. Altitude. And now potentially a small electronic British woman living inside your helmet.

There is a point where additional information can become distracting rather than helpful. That's why configuration matters. The best audible configuration isn't necessarily the one with the most alerts. It's the one that gives you the information you need, when you need it, without overwhelming you with unnecessary noise. More alarms do not automatically equal more awareness. Sometimes, less is more.

Don't Fire Your Visual Altimeter

Let's finish with the most important point. Speaking audibles are exciting. The technology is impressive. And there are legitimate benefits to receiving spoken altitude information. But an audible altimeter remains an additional tool for altitude awareness, not a replacement for fundamental skydiving skills. You should still:

• Regularly check your visual altimeter
• Develop a strong internal sense of altitude and timing
• Understand your planned jump profile
• Know your breakoff and deployment altitudes
• Configure your equipment appropriately
• Check that your altimeters are functioning before jumping
• Avoid becoming dependent on a single electronic device

Electronics fail. Batteries die. Speakers can be obstructed. Settings can be incorrect. And technology occasionally decides that today is not the day. The best altitude awareness comes from redundancy and good habits. Your visual altimeter provides one source of information. Your audible provides another. Your internal awareness provides another. The goal isn't to replace one with the other. The goal is to build a stronger overall awareness system.

The Future Is Talking

Whether speaking audibles become the new standard or remain a specialized preference remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: The traditional audible altimeter is evolving. We're moving beyond simple tones and fixed alarms toward devices that can communicate information in increasingly sophisticated ways. Spoken altitude. Custom notifications. Connected GPS devices. Dynamic feedback. Visual indicators. Integrated ecosystems. The humble little noisemaker inside your helmet is becoming significantly smarter. And perhaps that's a good thing.

Just remember one important rule: The voice in your helmet is there to help you make decisions, not make them for you.

So welcome to the era of the speaking audible altimeter. The voices have arrived. The only question now is: Which one do you want in your head?

Henry Kochen (Skydiving Instructor, Rigger, and Gear Nerd at ChutingStar) has 4700+ jumps and is an FAA Senior Rigger, USPA Coach, USPA Tandem Instructor and Videographer. He joined the ChutingStar Crew in 2015. He can be contacted directly at [email protected].